So here it is, all good things must come to an end and for now, this is the final chapter of this Jammy fic! That's not to say there won't be a sequel but for Fix You, this is the end of the line. So hope you've all enjoyed the ride and thanks to everyone who has taken the time to submit a review - I appreciate them all.
"You look tired Sam. The baby keeping you awake?" Jo reached out her un-restrained hand to Sam, pulling her down to sit beside her on the bed.
"No, he's incredibly good. After Abi's fed him around midnight he sleeps through until about six before he wants feeding again." Sam couldn't look Jo in the eye, a fact which did not go unnoticed by the sharp detective.
"So what's on your mind that is keeping you awake? Something to do with us?" Sam glanced at Jo, wondering when she had become so transparent that it was as easy as that to read her.
"Why do you say that?" She avoided answering the question, knowing she probably wouldn't get away with it but stalling for time while she gathered her nerve.
"You won't look me in the eye, if your shoulders were any tighter they'd be as hard as concrete and you just confirmed the answer by not denying it." Jo let her gaze drop, preparing herself for Sam's rejection, assuming it to be the only possible reason for the blonde's current anxiety.
"When you were…when Mark took you… I didn't care whether I lived or died trying to rescue you, even though I had just left my daughter and newborn grandson in the hospital, two people who needed me to be alive. All I could think of was that you were in danger and I could do something, had to do something to make you safe." Sam paused, her mind taking her back to the scene as she had walked into the room where Jo had been held captive.
"Sam, it's ok. You've realised that it's too much, that being with me can only lead to heartache. I understand that your family have to come first, especially now more than ever." Jo spoke quietly, willing the tears not to flow.
The petite blonde continued as though Jo hadn't spoken. "When I was here with you and you were showing no signs of getting any better, I thought that I'd lost my one chance of real happiness, that I'd failed you because I hadn't protected you from him, I hadn't got to you before he hurt you. It felt like my heart was being ripped out. I don't know if I can cope with feeling that way again – it hurt so much more because I hadn't told you."
Jo frowned, confusion and questions filling her mind. "Hadn't told me what? That you were having second thoughts about giving whatever it is, was, between us a chance to develop?" She found it hard to form the words around the lump in her throat but needed to hear Sam say there was no hope for them before she could accept it.
"That I love you, that I want to be with you and share my life with you more than I've ever wanted anything. I'd give up everything if it meant we could be together." Sam met Jo's eyes for the first time since entering the room, a ferocious passion burning behind the watery gaze leaving Jo in no doubt of her commitment to her words. She felt her bottom lip quiver, mentally chastising herself once again for being so easily reduced to tears.
"Sam, sweetheart, I love you too. You scared the living daylights out of me then, I thought you were telling me you didn't want me in your life any more! I'd never ask you to give up anything to be with me, if I did I'd be in a relationship with a different woman to the one I fell head over heels in love with and I only ever want to be with you, just as you are." Jo pulled Sam to her, sighing as she longed to prolong to contact but knowing there was no chance whilst in hospital. "I wish you could hold me tonight. It gets lonely here in the dark with only my memories for company."
"Let me see what I can do about that," Sam said mysteriously before disappearing from the room.
Jo lay back against the pillows, waiting for Sam to reappear, wondering what she could have meant. She knew the hospital would not allow Sam to share the bed with her, policy dictating such things were not allowed in the hope of preventing the spread of bugs such as MRSA. The door swung open, a doctor preceding Sam into the room.
"DI Nixon tells me you're anxious to sleep in your own bed tonight. Let me do a few checks and see if we can't release you into her care a few hours early." Jo gaped at Sam over the young doctor's shoulder, feeling a broad grin spread across her face as her lover winked at her. After a brief but thorough examination, the doctor signed Jo's discharge papers, issuing instructions to return if she felt at all unwell.
"Come on then sweetheart, let's find Abi and go home. Then I can hold you all night tonight, and for every other night you'll have me." Sam pulled a few surprises out of the bag she had carried in earlier, presenting Jo with a complete change of clothes and shoes, a conspiratorial grin on her face at her lover's astonished expression.
A week after being discharged from St Hugh's, Jo walked through the doors into the CID squad room, a hush descending before spontaneous applause and wolf-whistles rang out. Sam walked to the door of her office, immediately catching Jo's eye as she crossed the room to be beside her.
"I'm sure you'll all join me in welcoming Jo back to work. For the next few weeks, until she's fully healed, she'll be on light duties only." Everyone took in Jo's appearance, still sporting fading bruises and her right arm still contained with the sling while the muscles healed around her shoulder, but remarkably well given the beating she had received. Sam continued, "however, that does not mean she will be doing all your paperwork for you or acting as tea lady, Phillip!" Phil pulled a mock wounded face at the insinuation, grinning and shaking his head before retrieving a pile of folders from Jo's in-tray. "Ok everyone, back to work, there are still criminals out there to catch. Come on through Jo, let's get all the necessities out of the way first then I know Jack and Adam want to see you." Sam closed the door behind them, blocking out the hullabaloo from the main office, barely resisting the urge to snuggle up against the woman who had shown her new heights and depths of love. "How does it feel to be back?"
"A little strange. I'm sure given a few hours it'll feel like I've never been away."
"Well, I've got a bit of a proposition for you since you'll have time on your hands this next few weeks. Suzie didn't pass her sergeant's exams…"
"I'm not coaching her, Sam, she gets on my nerves, quoting all the rules and regulations as it is!" Jo interrupted.
Grinning again, Sam answered, "that's ok, I don't want you to. I want you to pass them yourself. There's going to be an opening coming up here, officially, very shortly, and I can't think of anyone better suited. I know you kept it very quiet that you'd put in for them this time round but they phoned to find out why you hadn't attended. When I told them about the attack, they agreed that you could sit them next month."
"Wait a minute, who's leaving? If there's an opening someone must be moving on." Jo wracked her brain trying to consider all possible suspects, the glimmer of an idea forming in her mind.
"Not moving on, more like moving up, permanently. Jack's asked me this morning to apply officially for the DI's job and whilst it has to be opened up to external candidates as well, he hinted that the job is mine if I want it. If you passed your sergeant's exams, you could be my replacement." Jo's jaw dropped, her eyes widening as far as they could go.
"Sam, that's amazing. You're going for it right? Please tell me you're applying?"
"Well, I'm grooming you to replace me so I think it's safe to say yes!" Jo ignored protocol and against her better judgement pulled Sam into a crushing one armed hug, regretting it only very slightly as her ribs gave her a sharp reminder of their unhealed state.
"I've got some studying to do then. Any chance of a bit of home tutoring?" Jo quirked an eyebrow, cruising on an air of jubilation.
"After all the tuition you've given me every night and early morning this last week, I think it's the least I can do." Jo blushed as Sam referred to their lovemaking.
"I only hope I can be as good a student and as quick a study as you then."
"I love days like this, plans come together, opportunities come knocking and I have the love of my life in front of me, what more could a girl want?" Sam leant towards Jo, stealing a kiss despite the blinds being open. As the petite blonde pulled away, she noticed Jo fumbling to retrieve something from her pocket, catching sight of a small velvet box before Jo closed her hand around it.
"I was err… I was going to save this until tonight but this seems like a perfect moment. So Samantha Nixon," Jo paused as she dropped to one knee gazing up at the woman she wanted to share every aspect of her life with, "would you consider doing me the honour of marrying me? Maybe not right now, maybe even in a few years time, but one day would you consider being my wife?"
Sam raised a shaky hand to her lips, thrown by Jo's grand gesture. With tears threatening to solve the world's drought problem, Sam nodded. "Yes, oh Jo, most definitely yes."
The End ?